One Day I'll Fly Away
by sugarbombs
Summary: Moriarty brings home a new girl to work at the saloon and she's the talk of Megaton.  part 1 of an ongoing series
1. Chapter 1

It had been a good day for Gob, infact it was a good week. Moriarty had left town to pick something up and as secretive as ever no one knew what it was. Nova had even taken a peek on his terminal but came back with nothing, all they new was that it would take a week to get there and back and that he would be travelling with caravans to stay safe.

Gob leaned on the bar, it was mid-day and not particularly busy so he allowed himself to daydream whilst he lazily pushed his dead cloth around the bar surface. He listened to the radio and reflected on how that kid from 101 had them all duped, said she was gunna save the world but ever since she'd fixed the radio signal all Gob heard about her was bad news. He only kept giving her discount stimpaks because honestly he was scared of her now. He sighed as Jericho approached the bar.

"Boss still not back asshole?" Jericho snapped waking Gob fully from his daze.

"Uhh, no." Gob stiffened, ready for a slap of some kind. If Moiarty wasn't around to be doing it, it would be this asshole to take his place.

"Maybe he's dead" Jericho mused. For the slightest of moments Gob thought he felt bloatflies in his stomach, how good would that be... But Jericho finished "Rough old journey to Paradise Falls and back - bastard tried to hire me as a bodyguard, i'm no bodies bullet vest."

Gob raised an eyebrow and Nova left her perch on the wall to join them at the bar.

Her sultry voice filled the air, "Why the hell would he wanna go there?" she mused.

"New blood" Jericho grinned then looked almost maliciously at Gob, as if he needed reminding of his predicament. Nove broke the tension by huffing and rolling her eyes.

"What's the matter Nova, scared of the competetion?" said Jericho slapping a hand on her backside.

She peeled it off, "Oh please any help keeping you away would be gladly appreciated".

They'd flirt like this every time, a chase fo him but work for her and Gob was always the one who had to listen to it all night and have it rubbed in his face in the morning.

Getting bored with their charade, Gob picked his cigarettes out of his pockets and waved them at Nova, she nodded and he left the bar. Being outside was a rarity for Gob and as soon as he felt the breeze and the sun's rays he felt like a wilted flower being brought back to life. He lifted the cigarette to his mouth and lit it. Leaning over the rail he stared out across Megaton.

_'New blood'... Moriarty definately wouldn't be bringing another man back... atleast that's something to be thankfull for, no new guy to smack around the zombie._

Gob took another drag and scratched his head that would mean a new _girl_, unless Moriarty had huffed it all the way there to get them collars to kick them while they're down. _It'd be just like the sick fuck._

Gob enjoyed the sun and cigarette before he went back to work the same hard, long shift he always did. Every day. Fifteen years. But atleast Moriarty hadn't been around to trip him up and make it more hellish than needs be.

Dark fell and Gob cleaned down the bar and moved the chairs back as neatly as he could. Jericho had 'finished' and left not long but an hour ago and Nova was just slinking down the stairs. He looked up at her and she had the same cold, distant bitch look on her face she did after every night she worked.

They'd been here together a long time but Gob still wasn't sure where he stood with her, he couldn't even comfortably say they were friends. Some nights she would spend the night chatting to him about the guys round town other nights she'd snap at him and leave him downstairs by himself. One time he recalled she said she'd 'scheduelled time' for them to be together, but ofcourse nothing came of that - she'd even recoiled that night when he'd tapped her shoulder. He was starting to come to the conclusion that she, just like everyone else, was put here to make him feel like shit. But then again she'd faced just about as many hells as him and had a particularly nastier fate when it came to the customers.

_I guess I'll never understand what goes on in her head._

She came and sat on a bar stool as he returned to his spot behind the bar.

"Think it's safe for us to share a drink?" she cooed.

Gob grumbled and picked up a half empty bottle of vodka, they'd started it at the start of the week when Nova let Gob in on her clever idea. She'd realised that with Moriarty gone they would get to keep their tips, by the end of the week they'd of had enough for that bottle of vodka without Moriarty noticing caps missing from the takings and stock.

Two shot glasses clinked on the table and then a bottle. Nova poured. Both picked up their drinks and shot them down. Nova immediately poured again, it must have been a rough night. They sat drinking and discussing what sort of present Moriarty would bring back for them.

Nova took it as she was old news and seemed rather defensive about it, Gob saw it as someone else to make him feel so small.

"I bet she's some pretty young beat up slave girl, all timid and no bite" Nova snapped.

"You forget that was you once" Gob laughed.

"I'm still not that old" she seethed jokingly.

"I can't argue there Nova, I'll always be atleast three times what you are" he meant to poke fun at himself, but it didn't distract from the fact he was different. He was a monster here and that's all he'd ever be now. Thanks to the radiation he' be it for a long fucking time too.

Just then the door swung open followed by loud thuds. It was too late to hid the booze. They were back.


	2. Chapter 2

The journey from Paradise Falls had been a lot better than expected for Moriarty and his new girl, as good as it could be with raiders crawling all over the place - but at least the caraven merc was doing his job.

The bitter sting of how many caps he'd lost was still taunting Moriarty but every-time he glanced over his shoulder and saw her dragging her cases behind him he was reminded how he'd earn that back in no time.

The slavers had given him a fair warning on how she was pretty fresh on the slave scene and still had a mouth on her, but who doesn't in Megaton he thought to himself - she'd do just fine.

The bastard had made her carry all these cases the whole journey to Megaton. She'd been shot at all day in this poorly cut pre war dress he's made her wear and it was a wonder how she'd never been hit. The straps had been cut and the dress just went over her knee, it was a garish pink with a red waistband.

_At least it's better than just the nightwear, the fucker._

He'd dropped the caravan when they were near springvale and had proceeded to give her the rundown on the town and his bar. Some prostitute named Nova and a guy named gob were the other two 'workers' he had.

"Now lass I'm in the business of making money ye' see - and in the interest of making money you aint getting a fancy new dressing room" he chuckled to himself as she struggled with the luggage.

"Oh yeah" she spat between heaving breaths.

"Indeed, since you aint earnin' yer room like Nova, you've got to share one of the... already occupied rooms" he grinned all teeth.

_Urgh he's vile._

"Mine... or Gob's" he smiled.

_Slimey rat...I don't know anything about this Gob guy but he sure as hell hasn't put a fucking collar round my neck and dragged me half way across the wasteland._

"I'm gunna go with Gob" she smiled sweetly, sarcastically almost.

_And if that fucker tries anything, I'll gut him._

Moriaty glared, "Ah well, you'll be in for a suprise when you meet the lad then" he mused.

They stopped and he removed her collar.

"You see Megaton over there, at the top is a sniper, Stockholm"

"Yeah I see it" she nodded.

"He knows you're comming - and I've told him you owe me a LOT of caps, which in fairness you do for this equipment shite you've been carrying" he looked at the cases.

"You try to run away and" he made gun with his right hand and pushed it to his head "boom."

She sneered at him.

"Well I look forward to a long and fruitfull patnership lass" he laughed to himself as they made for the entrance.

Rolling her eyes they walked through Megaton, it was a shithole and to top it off there was a fucking bomb right in the middle of it.

They finally made it to a shack with the sign 'Moriarty's Saloon' out front.

As they stepped in they were greeted by a deafening silence, a woman and a-

_A ghoul. Is that?_

She dumped her cases of the floor.

"Gob, Nova this is Roxie." Moriarty beamed.

_It is Gob._

_I'm sleeping with a ghoul._

Moriarty hadn't cared about the bottle of vodka open between Gob and Nova (at least he hadn't showed it)and he claimed tonight as a good reason to be celebrating, the new money maker sat awkwardly at the bar in-front of Gob and next to Moriarty, staring into a vodka and nuka cola.

Gob didn't know anyone who still drank cocktails or mixers, it was straight or nothing out here with it being diluted enough.

Every now and then she'd look up from her drink and look at Gob and he found it unnerving.

"Well I'm going to bed" groaned Moriarty as he sat up leaving a space between her and Nova. "Leave you to get better acquainted with your roomie eh lass?" he winked at Roxie.

_That bastard._

"No, no way! I'm not sharing with the new kid! Nova straightened up in protest.

"Aye yer not, she already** picked **Gob on the way here" he sniggered as he trawled up to his room.

Roxie could feel herself burning as Gob grumbled and stirred awkwardly. Something about that made his stomach lurch.

_Why would anyone __**choose**__ to stay with me..._

"It was you or him, don't get any ideas" she looked up at Gob and spat out.

_Oh that's why._ Gob put his hands up as a gesture of surrender or promise.

"Oh look we got ourselves a whore with morals" Nova stared down the new girl.

"I'm not a whore, I sing - not fuck"

"Sing?" Gob choked out.

"Yeah, hence the guitar and the other stuff in that case." she said taking a sip of her drink.

"Didn't know the wasteland had a calling for musicians" Nova smiled.

"That's why I, we, were on our way to Vegas" Roxie mumbled.

There was quiet, they all new what had happened next, it had happened to all of them. They got caught. Moments passed as all three slaves thought about their homes before they ended up at the saloon.

"I wanted an adventure, just to leave the nest and get out of Underworld" Gob offered to the group pouring himself another shot.

"What's underworld?" Roxie asked taking a gulp and finishing her drink.

"Oh god, I've heard this story way too many times, I'm turning in" Nova got off her chair and slinked off up the stairs. The creek of her boots cutting the silent tension between Roxie and Gob.

"It's a ghoul city" Gob said moving Nova's shot glass and offering it to her.

"Ughh, why not" she smiled faintly. He poured her one too. They both drank.

"Oh fuck" Roxie gasped.

"It's not that strong" Gob chuckled.

"I dont normally drink it straight" she mumbled embarrassed. It was social suicide most places in the waste if you couldn't handle your alcohol - seeing as everyone drank to get over everything happened in the damn place.

"So did you have family in Underworld?" she asked.

"Yeah, well kinda, my mom Carol."

"Why kinda?" she asked.

"Uhh ghouls kid, they don't - well can't have children..." Gob said, surely she knew that.

"Oh right, I thought maybe you - you know - after she had you" she said

awkwardly taking the bottle for another shot.

"Ah okay, no, Carol has been a ghoul before I was even around" Gob found it a bit odd to be talking about being a ghoul, or Underworld so openly without be berated or hit - it was a topic that seemed to anger so many people in Megaton. But this girl was quite inquisitive, like a child. She even asked him more questions about the residents of Underworld.

"Patchwork sound like a laugh" she smiled taking her now third shot.

Gob could see she was definately tipsy and the thought of her having to share his room crept into his mind. This isn't right.

"I think that's enough for us tonight, it's 12.30 already" Gob looked at the cracked clock above the door. He started clearing up.

"Oh ok" she said shyly. She too was now realising the predicament that lay ahead of them.

"How old are you, kid?" Gob asked, he wasn't sure why but something about how old he new he definitely was made him feel a lot worse about the situation.

"A lady never tells" she wagged her finger at him then laughed. "I'm 20" _...And flat out drunk. Why the fuck not, hopefully it'll get me to sleep quicker..._

"Right well uhh" she was just a fucking kid, he didn't know why he thought otherwise.

"And you?"

"Too old" Gob said weakly.

"How do you want to do this?" she said. They both stood staring at the single bed in the tiny room.

"I guess I could sleep on the floor?" Gob said as he turned to the girl next to him. Her cheeks were glowing from the alcohol and he knew knew it despite how sober she tried to act.

"What forever?" she smiled up at him. Then her smile faded. _Forever is a long time, stuck here._

"Hmm, I uhh, top and tail?" he mumbled.

"No offence but I'd rather not wake up to feet in my face every morning"

"And you'd rather wake up to this face instead huh?" Gob joked.

"If it bothers you so much you can face the wall" she laughed back at him.

So that's what they did. Back to back, she was out like a light, Gob on the other hand wasn't.

It was strange sharing a bed with someone after fifteen years, and this was a young woman aswell. He could feel her breathing against his back and it was stopping him from sleeping just her touching him even this little. He could hear her sigh and her sleep and it was waking something up that made him pray she didn't turn over and see him.

_For fuck's sake, why me? _


	3. Chapter 3

By the time 6.30 am rolls along Gob has has only been asleep for 3 hours and thankfully for him Roxie tries to be as quiet as possible as she sneaks off to get ready.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't shocked with her surroundings when she woke up, head pounding. Even more so after being reminded of the ghoul next to her.

Walking down the stairs to the bar she tries to familiarise herself with her new 'home'. There's only one bathroom and it's got a curtain for a door.

"Rough" she rolls her eyes. Her cases are still by the door so after getting ready in the horrible little bathroom she decides to set up.

Gob had stirred a little later when he'd heard a thud and a hushed 'oh fuck' but had been thrust hard into the land of the living when he'd been hit with a small pouch of caps. He sat up to see Moriarty leaning in the doorway.

"She's awake, why aren't you yer lazy fucker?"

Gob rubbed his head and grumbled knowing best not to argue.

"Take those caps and buy some breakfast at the Lantern, show her off a bit, we want to generate some interest" an almost sinister smile spread across his face. _Probably imagining Andy Stahl's reaction..._

"Yes sir"

When Gob gets downstairs he notes that Roxie has set up in the area where that strange man Mr Burke used to sit. He looks at her equipment, a guitar with quite a few chips and dents, a microphone on a retractable stand and some sort of amplifier only with a slit in the top. Roxie turns to face him rubbing her hands together.

"There done - oh. Morning"

"Morning kid, you hungry?"

"Uhh a bit yeah"

"C'mon then" Gob walked toward the door where she meets him, awkwardly he tried to open the door but she's too close. Then he noticed something.

"Are you wearing make up?" she backs up so he can let them out of the bar.

"Uhh yeah, why does it look stupid?" she asked sheepishly.

"No it looks... I haven't seen anyone wear it in a long time" Gob mumbles as they step out on the balcony of the bar overlooking the town.

"Where I lived there was this big closet full of the stuff, alot of it was pretty ruined and powdery but I managed to salvage some of it" she explained as they made their way to the Brass Lantern. Passers-by were giving her odd looks, even odder ones were being stabbed at her ghoul chaperone for even being outside let alone with her.

"Hmm, where are you from?" Gob forced out. As much as he was in awe of the fact someone would converse with him he was finding conversation difficult, he'd always been shy even as a boy and as an adult and now ghoul he was out of social practice.

"I was born and brought up in this big umm what do you call it, where they do shows for people, they all sit and watch? I think they were called 'plays'..." she trailled off.

"A theatre?"

"That's it!" she almost squealed at him, making him jump. "Yeah a theatre, it was pretty intact and it had decent security" she smiled as she's reminisced.

"Hah - sometimes we'd even do these 'shows' for each other me and the other kids and sing songs for our parents"

"Sounds fun" Gob said as they reached their destination.

"It was" her smiled faded as she sat down.

_I knew I shouldn't have said anything, you fucking idiot Gob._

Jenny had been nice enough when she introduced herself although as usual for the most part ignored Gob but that was nothing compared to Leo. He wouldn't leave the girl alone asking his questions and staring at her like a dog with it's tongue lopping out. Gob sat quietly seething as he felt the familiar pang of jealousy in his stomach, even though he knew any chance of a girl being his was a bubble dream he would have loved the girl to just talk to him for a little while longer.

"So you'll come see me play tonight yes?" she fluttered her eyelids in a way that made Gob weak, then hopelessly mournfull that it wasn't for him.

"Of course I will!" Leo beamed, "Any way, so what will it be?"

Gob pulled out the pouch from his pocket and emptied the caps into his hand.

"Bastard" he snapped.

"What is it?" she turned to Gob.

"There's only enough for you" he showed her the 5 caps in his hand.

"Oh" she would have maybe offered to let him spend them all on himself but after travelling with Moriarty hardly feeding her anything she was next to starving, "Well we can share right?" said smiling.

"Really?" Leo cocked an eyebrow as he feigned disgust at Gob who just looked up silently at him for his seat.

"Yes really" Roxie said sternly returning Leo's dirty look right back at him. "So what do you want Gob?"

He froze a little. No one ever asked him what he wanted, always just told him what to do and the way she said his name without sounding like there was sick in her throat. He was starting to find her perfect, almost too good to be true. The way she looked like some prewar-

"Helloooo, earth to Gob?" she chuckled.

"Uhh oh" Gob realised he'd been staring at her so broke his gaze and fixed it on one of the crazy bomb worshippers "Sugar bombs?"

"Right then, one bowl of sugar bombs please, 2 spoons" she said proudly.

"Alright then" Leo said reluctantly.

Gob sat with his hands between his legs untill the bowl and spoons were placed in between the two. Leo gave the girl a promise to see her sing later and went back inside.

"He's a bit of a dick isn't he" she said as she scooped a spoonfull into her mouth.

At that Gob let himself laugh, at least she wasn't some doe-eyed broad.

"What?" she smiled as Gob picked up his spoon.

"Nothing I just thought he might have got you there for a while" for the first time he was enjoying a morning in megaton.

"Oh please I'm not that kind of stupid girl"

_No, you're something else..._

After finishing breakfast rather quickly, due to how little of it there was to share between them, Gob proceeded to show her round the town. She had been pleasant enough to everyone and even fluttered those eyelashes again at a few men, all in the interest of getting more business she had reassured Gob as she mentioned to him that she 'wouldn't touch any of the men here with a 10 foot stick'. It had initially made him smile untill he came to the realisation he too was in the same boat as them.

They stood infront of the door of the Saloon as Gob took himself out a cigarette.

"I'll be in after this" he sad to her with it hanging out of his mouth, an image to her surprise that Roxie found quite seductive.

"Can I have it, I mean one" she stumbled over her words. She had made an effort all day to get to know the guy seeing as they had to be the odd couple at night from now on but she hadn't expected to genuinely find the beginnings of a good friend and even weirder to her still; someone who made her feel like a little girl again. Although she cynically shrugged that feeling off as due to him being so much older than her.

"Yeah" he offered her the box and she took one and leaned towards him as he lit it for her, his fingers clumsy she noticed. _He's so awkward._

As they both leaned over the balcony Gob heard the familiar thud of old worn boots and smelt the stale smell of whiskey. Jericho. He landed a hand on Gob's shoulder hard and he braced with the impact. Roxie looked over Gob to see who it was, then Jericho caught sight of the girl.

"Well now and who might you be?" he said licking his lips and straightening up.

"Ughh, I'm Roxie" she sneered.

"Moriarty's new girl eh? Well you can give me the bitch attitude all you want but I've got the caps to break you in" he smiled cruely to himself.

Gob felt his fists clench. C'mon, you've narrowly avoided a punch from him already Gob don't do this, she's not worth it. Or is she? No...?

"Not in my contract sadly you gent" Roxie cooly said as she continued her cigarette.

"Whatever, what are you doing out here with this zombie anyway?"

"Zombie?" Roxie asked, almost to confirm that someone had out right said it in-front of poor Gob himself - atleast most of the bigots round here had managed to keep their opinions verbally to themselves.

"Yeah, they eat brains ya'know" he nodded in Gob's direction like a bully would a sickly child. Gob himself looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up or the bomb in town to start ticking.

"Really?" Roxie cooed, which made Gob look from his side at her in the eyes. _Oh come on surely you don't think that too._ What she did next however almost stopped his heart. She dropped her finished cigarette looked all concerned and took his face into her hands, searching it with her worried eyes. Jericho just watched as Gob's eyes drifted to her lips.

"Oh you poor baby, you really must be starving in this dump then" she ended with a smile, which melted Gob a little as much as it caught him off guard.

"Fucking weird bitch" Jericho grumbled as he walked into the saloon, obviously a bit oblivious to her dig at him.

"Goodbye to you too" she giggled as she slowly took her hands from Gob's face. "I'm going in Gob" and she left like that.

Gob stayed glued to the floor where he stood, cigarette burning to the butt. _What just happened, did she, touch me?._

A minute passed before Gob slowly took one hand to his cheek where hers had been. It was then Gob smiled a truly happy smile.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey Gob! Pick a hand!" Roxie chirped from across the bar her hands behind her back.

It was about late afternoon and she'd been helping him pour drinks whilst giving Jericho a hearty dose of sarcastic backchat.

"The right one kid"

"Interesting" she smiled as she revealed two holodisks from behind her back and turned back to her makeshift stage for the night.

"She's really got you hasn't she" Nova said as she walked behind Gob and leant over the bar to see what Roxie was doing. She was pushing the disk Gob chose into the slit on top of the amplifier.

"What? No. You think I'm some kind of idiot, I know I'm-"

"Cool it Gob, it was just a joke" she smiled "No need to get so defensive"

"I know it's just" he sighed and looked towards Nova.

"Yeah, she's nicer to you than anyone else in this dump but just don't get too attached, you know as well as I do some girls just want a finger in all the pies" she patted his shoulder.

Gob thought back to how the long, raven haired 101 girl and how she'd been so kind to him just for stimpaks and that flirty deal she'd made will Burke whatever it was. He wasn't sure Roxie was the same though, after all Gob couldn't offer her anything as much as he'd like to.

"Hello" Roxie spoke into her microphone it wasn't very loud, she'd figured it was a small place and she didn't really even needed it, it was more for show.

The locals propping up the bar gave her their attention and she felt that familiar buzz in her stomach. _My time to shine_.

Leo had arrived and brought his younger brother Andy, who didn't look too pleased to be there and refused to buy any drinks. Gob had explained to her that he was more than likely here to check out the competition. _Let's give him something to worry about then_.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Roxie..." not really sure how to end her introduction and feeling all these eyes burning into her she turned to Gob.

He smiled sweetly and nodded at her. "Well let's get started then" and she tapped a button the top of the speaker. Background music started playing and it was a song she was sure no one in the bar had heard before, apart from maybe Gob.

She waited for her right queue before she exhaled and started to sing, trying to sound more sexy and breathy like she remembered the singer had. (.com/watch?v=htNqf-vp0-U)

"My baby don't care for shows  
>My baby don't care for clothes<br>My baby just cares for me" as soon as she started Gob knew at least every man in the bar was giving her all his attention, he definitely was.

_I'd give my right arm to be her baby... wait what am I doing_? Gob noticed as soon as she started singing he'd sunk his head into his hands, leaning on his elbows on the bar - like a school boy staring at his pretty teacher. He sat up straight, grabbed a cup to start wiping and changed direction of his gaze. Only to be met by Nova who was trying to stifle her laughter with her hand. He rolled his eyes at the prostitute but had to smile, he'd been caught and Nova wouldn't let that drop.

After her first song was finished she exuded confidence and started another. Much more sassy now and shaking her hips in between making eyes at some of the customers - she started the belt out her second song (.com/watch?v=CFsSC_qAGlQ);

"The minute you walked in the joint  
>I could see you were a man of distinction, a real big spender." Moriarty was loving it as he stood by the stairs and Gob noted it had got several degrees hotter in the bar, <em>or is that just me?<em>

One of the drunken settlers got too close and Roxie skilfully pushed him back down in his seat, oozing sexy attitude as she sang "I don't pop my cork for every guy I see" and the man gleefully looked up at her from his drunken stupor.

"Hey big spender, spend... a little time with me" she winked at the crowd. It had worked, Gob was rushed off his feet serving drinks and sending several of them Roxie's way. After everyone was good and drunk Roxie decided to get them all involved.

"Okay these next ones, you should know the words to, seeing as they get played **every day**" she smiled "So you guys have to help me out alright?" a few cheers and enthusiastic 'yeahs' were heard. "Right then" she said changing disks "Hey Gob what's your favourite song on the radio?" she called out.

"Uhhhm" the bar focused its attention on him. He could tell a lot of them were confused as to why she was talking to him so casually but he did his best to ignore it. "Maybe?"

She clicked a disk in, "Mine too" she smiled as she stood up. She started to sing his favourite song and so did the drunken customers. He did his best to ignore the drunk men and women and pretend she was singing just for him, besides it was his request she'd filled.

"Maybe you'll think of me  
>when you are all, alone"<p>

Gob smiled, _Maybe the one who's waiting for you, will prove untrue then__  
><em>_what will you do?_

"Hold that thought hun because you aren't ever getting alone time now" Nova whispered in his ear. _Fuck when did she get there_? But she was right, for the first time in years he was getting hot under the collar for some girl and he couldn't even do anything about it.

"There's always the toilet" she giggled and he playfully slapped her with the wash cloth.

_It doesn't matter things are still looking up_.

Roxie had ended with 'I don't want to set the world on fire' and had even had help from a very drunk Leo Stahl who had put his arm round her and hogged the mic. He had been desperately to get her attention all night but was eventually dragged out by a very angry Andy.

Moriarty closed shop soon after and walked over to pat Roxie on the shoulder. "Good job lass, a real class act, Gob get her a drink"

"I think I've had enough" Roxie held her head as she made to sit opposite Gob.

"How come she gets to drink on the job" Nova moaned crossing her arms.

"Because those saps are paying for her, no point getting a girl drunk when she's a sure bet Nova dear" Moriarty chuckled to himself. "Speaking of which you weren't too busy tonight were you"

"Jericho paid up, but he wasn't upstairs... long, someone already had him worked up" Nova smiled at Roxie.

"Gross" Roxie gagged and the rest of the group found some amusement in it.

"What do you expect giving them those moves of yours girl" Moriarty beamed. "I suspect you'll be paying a lot of those gents a visit tonight"

"Enough please! I'm going up"

"Night lass"

"Night hun"

"... see you soon" she smiled at the husky voice as walked up the stairs.

Gob new Nova had been joking when he suggested he 'relieve' himself in the bathroom but after the others had gone to bed and he had finished cleaning the bar it seemed like a good idea. After watching her be such a show girl tonight he knew that he couldn't sleep peacefully next to her all night.  
>He slinked off to the bathroom and started to get himself off as quietly as he could just imagining her in various scenarios - all of which he wasn't just Gob he was a man she couldn't get enough off. In his mind he had even let himself tell her he loved her, even though he knew he'd only known her a day and it was a crazy thought - but he was aching for something to love and maybe someone to love him. This pathetic feeling aided the disappointing end result.<p>

As soon as he'd finished a wave of guilt and disgust in himself hit instantly. Feeling down but at least now tired enough to fall straight asleep he cleaned up and went to his room. _Our room_.

When he reached the door he saw Roxie curled in a ball on the mattress, she was wearing some old merc vest and some tatty shorts. She stirred as he walked closer to the door.

"Is it always this fucking cold?" she groaned as Gob sat on the bed and started taking his boots off.

"I dunno I don't really feel the cold"

"Lucky bastard" she smiled. It was making him feel even more disappointed in himself for what he'd done earlier.

"I guess"

She sat up to look at him better. "Are you ok Gob?"

"Huh yeah I'm fine, Moriarty should really get you some sheets" he mumbled.

"Us" she corrected.

"That bastard aint ever doing anything for me" he sighed as he laid down on his back next to her. She sloped back down to lay on her side looking over him. It was making Gob nervous he could feel all the imperfections of his face on show, like she was looking for the worst part to laugh at.

"You tired Gob?" she cooed.

"Exhausted" he closed his eyes and rubbed the lids with his worn hand.

"I can't sleep"

"No? Want me to go downstairs?"

"It's not you silly" she smiled tracing his face with her eyes. "I just feel like talking"

"Oh ok" Gob grumbled eyes still closed, truth be told more to avoid eye contact with her. "Okay umm... Why are you so nice to me?" he offered to her.

"You mean why isn't everyone else, that's a better question"

"No that's a stupid question with an obvious answer" he frowned.

"Education I guess" she ignored his self-pity "I grew up knowing you get assholes on both sides, I bet you know some ghouls who are dicks"

"Certainly do" he thought back to Azrukhal and his seedy bar, really just Moriarty's rotten counterpart.

"Besides I like you, you're kinda sarcastic and sweet..." _Great, funny and sweet, the death sentence for any man's intentions_ "If we ever get out of here would you take me to Underworld?" she asked, which confused him.

"Why would you want to go there?" he asked opening his eyes to look up at her.

"Well your my friend now right? I don't think I've got anywhere else since the slavers torched-" she stopped herself before she choked.

"Hey of course I will, friends right?" he smiled, knowing full well he could cope with a crying girl, especially not right now. _I guess the friend zone is better than the 'fuck off zombie zone'_

She nodded then made to change the subject, "So what are you warm all the time?"

"Yeah, it's like when you scrape yourself and it gets warmer - my skin, well what's left of it is trying to heal itself, at least that's what Barrows said" Gob was rambling anything to make her stop looking at him so hard.

"I see, so could you be a hot water bottle?" she smiled at him.

"What?" he looked up at her, she moved to use his arm as a pillow and snuggled into his side, arm draped over his chest. _Oh god_.

"Is this okay?" she whispered.

"Fu- yeah, yes... sure kid" Gob managed to dribble out, his heart was in his mouth. She knew she was making him uncomfortable but for some reason her mind had been screaming at her to break the touch barrier, maybe it was the few drinks she had in her, although she wasn't really feeling drunk at all.

"So did I do good today?" she said quietly into his neck.

Gob knew what she meant but for some reason all he could think of was all the 'very good things' she had done in his head not 20 minutes before.

"Yeah you were amazing" his breath blew through her hair.

"As long as you thought so, nuh-night Gob" she purred ending with a yawn.

It may have been a peaceful night for her and despite the action Gob had taken to make sure it would be for him too, he now spent the night with his arms and hands pinned to the bed to make sure he didn't touch inappropriately in the night. _This is even worse!_

He looked at her sleeping into him through the night and wondered what the hell was going on in her head. _Crazy kid, we aren't ever getting out of here... you're so pretty_. It was like for all the time he'd been miserable some divine being and had landed her right here to make him feel that there was at least something to keep smiling about. A sign that better things were to come. _Night angel_...


	5. Chapter 5

A couple of months passed and although it had been the best few months Gob could remember for a long time he could tell that the job was starting to take its toll on Roxie. She was no longer enjoying her nights singing at the bar and was finding it tiresome pushing back advances from some of the men. On several accounts it had got ugly and Gob had never felt more useless because he wasn't allowed to help her.

She'd asked Moriarty if she could get sheets for her and Gob but he'd replied with "If you want a warm cosy bed lass, you'll be sharing it with me - not him". To which she'd decided cuddling up to the ghoul every night definitely wasn't so bad. She'd grown to really care for Gob and it was breaking her heart to see people be so nasty to him, she was having trouble biting her tongue just like Gob was whenever he overheard some testosterone pumped idiot talk about what he'd like to do to her.

However no matter how hard the days were Gob and Roxie would always end the night smiling with each other, their room became their home - away from the bigots and the dirty men where they just had each other. Nova had been nice to Gob but nothing like Roxie, besides Nova's drinking and jet habits meant she'd rather have a substance as a friend rather than these two.

Tonight was going slowly, Roxie wasn't in the best of moods and it showed, she kept singing sad songs, heartbroken songs and Gob couldn't help feel that the songs were saying way much more than he ever could to her. He didn't want to ruin what they had between them.

The last song started playing and Gob recognised it straight away, even though it sounded different to the old pre-war version. Roxie always did have a way of making things hers and unique; _the make-up, the drink, the songs..._ (.com/watch?v=CbMeAOTPJzM)

"Come with me, my love  
>To the sea, the sea of love<br>I want to tell you  
>How much, I love you"<p>

She closed her eyes and exhaled to the music.

"Do you remember when we met?  
>That's the day I knew you were my pet" her eyes opened and drifted to Gob's direction.<p>

"I want to tell you, how much, I love you"

_I love you too_.

When she'd finished the song Moriarty decided it was late enough to close.

"What's wrong with you girl, you're making grown men weep into their drinks out there" he snapped as he shut the door.

"Well they're still buying" Roxie groaned.

"Yeah but Nova's not exactly here to hand out hugs now is she, not one of them paid her today, you scrub up tonight!"

"Aw what?" she protested. Gob would only do it once a week and he always did a shoddy job so he could get into bed with her quicker.

"I'll help you smoothsk-"

"No you bloody wont" Moriarty growled.

"But it's-"

"I said no Gob!" Moriarty strode over and back handed the ghoul, Gob immediately held his right eye in his hands. "Stop talking so fucking much, yer damn shuffler, why do you think I called yer Gob?" Moriarty was breathing heavy now and there was a silence in the room. Gob had just been beaten and emasculated all for her and Roxie didn't think she could feel any lower.

She cleaned up as quickly as she could and when she was done she pulled a cold cola out the fridge, one she had been bought earlier but decided against.  
>She sneaked up the stairs as fast as she could and into their room where she found Gob sat on the bed head in his hands. His shoulders were moving. <em>Is he crying?<em>

"Gob?" she whispered. He turned to her shocked and wiped his eyes. He had been a bit tearful but it was more out of frustration than pain and Roxie understood that, Gob never cried when he hurt himself he just swore. She sat next to him and took his chin into her hand, turning to see the damage. It was sore for definite, she pressed the cold bottle to his eye to bring out the swelling and he let out a hiss.

"I'm so sorry Gob" she croaked feeling herself well up.

"It's not your fault" he said sadly.

"I never want to see you get hurt" she said standing up and removing the bottle and placing it in his hand, she stood in front of him and he looked up at her with a now puffy eye. She kneeled down a little and held his face, kissing where Moriarty had hit him. Gob froze stuck to the bed with hands limp either side of him. _Is this happening, how hard did he hit me?_

"Whenever you get hurt, I'll kiss it better" she smiled weakly at him and all he could do is nod mouth slightly open. _Did she kiss me, she did, didn't she? What does that mean; does that mean anything... can it? What do I do now?_

She sat at the head of the bed and swung her legs so they were either side of him and motioned for him to sit in-between her legs, back towards her as he put the cola back on his eye. When he sat in this position she started rubbing his shoulders for him. Gob let out a sigh, _Maybe being hit in the face isn't so bad..._

"One day I'll fly away, leave all this to yesterday..." she sang quietly to him and herself. She always sang this song when Gob got down about being here. He smiled and rolled the bottle round his eye as he thought of how lucky he was to have her with him.

"Hey kid, why did you sing that last song today?" Gob said trying to sound as casual as possible - but really it had been eating away at him the way she'd looked him in the eyes as she sang it. _Was it about me?_

"My parents used to sing that to each other" she smiled.

"Oh" _Oh well._

"It makes me hopeful people can be in love these days, do you think so?" she asked matter-of-factly whilst rubbing into the tense muscles of his shoulders and upper back. Gob closed his eyes as he thought about his answer, _Of course they can, I fucking love you_.

"I think so, well I'd like to"

"Good"

"Did you parents love each other then?" Gob asked, he always liked hearing stories about where she was from, it was a happy place shut off from the rest of the wastes which made him think of times before the war.

"Very much, nothing could tear them apart; they never listened to anyone else"

"Listened to anyone else?" Gob turned to her eyes full of question, "Why would someone try to split them up?"

She took a breath in and smiled at the back of him, honestly. "Because people didn't think it was right for my mom to be with a ghoul"

"What." Gob said sounding way more stupid than he'd like to.

She laughed quietly, "My dad, he's a ghoul"

"How?" Gob spun around and faced her fully, knees crossed like a child at story time. _This explains so much_.

"Really? It's not a great story..." she then saw how excited Gob was to know, almost as if he wanted her to prove this wasn't some kind of weird lie, "Okay then, my mother was about maybe 3 months pregnant with me"  
>Gob nodded and she continued, "They were attacked by raiders and one of them had a Fat Man - my dad tried to shield her from the blast, it worked and he managed to escape with just a broken leg whereas the raider had blown himself and his friends up"<p>

Gob let his face sink into his free hand as he looked up at her.

"Well he thought he'd got away fine, they were worried I wasn't going to be born but I was despite the odds but by the time I arrived he'd already started changing... That's it" she finished awkwardly.

"He was a hero then" Gob smiled at her "He must have loved you and your mom very much"

"He does" she smiled trying to hold back tears, not knowing where her family was now was tearing her up to say the least.

"Is that why you're so nice to me?" Gob asked uncaring to how it sounded, it was all adding up in his head and for once the answer to her affection wasn't brain damage but experience. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm nice to you because of who you are Gob, not because my daddy doesn't have a nose too" she teased.

"Shh you" he smiled and prodded her in the stomach to which she tried to push down a squeal. _She's ticklish_. He didn't stop.

"Ha! No you shh! You'll wake everyone up!" she wiggled under him between giggles.

"Better not do this then" he grinned and moved his cold bottle from his eye and pushed it to her stomach. She tried hard to stifle a scream.

"You dick!" she hissed quietly, with a smile on her face. Gob looked smug as he loomed above her- it was only then did he realise the position he'd put himself in. Over her and in-between her legs as she laid looking up at him. _Oh shit_. He looked down at her, she was still smiling warmly at him as he took the bottle away and he took a mental picture of her like this never knowing if he'd ever have her in the same position again.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down to lay next to her and he let out an 'ooof' which made her giggle. _I love that laugh_ he smiled dopily at her as they lay facing each other.

"What's your real name Gob?"

"Uh?"

"Moriarty said he called you Gob, so what was your real name?" she said blowing a stray hair out of her face.

"Oh yeah, Gobtholemew" to which she let out an unrestrained laugh. "Hey what's so funny smoothskin?" Gob teased.

"Nothing, nothing" she smiled. "I prefer Gobbie"

"That's a new one, beats shuffler I guess" he half laughed to himself.  
>She snugged up closer to him and draped her arm over his chest and he moved his to wrap around her waist, legs tangled in each other. Since the first night Gob had found it a lot easier to now fall asleep in this position.<p>

"You know I thought someone would have tried to find me by now" She mumbled into his chest, not sad just plain sounding.

"I know kid, if it was me I would never have stopped looking for you" he said into her hair dying to plant a kiss there. Gob wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed by that statement but honestly there was nothing he wouldn't be willing to do for her even if she was just his friend - because she was his only friend.

She looked up at him, eyes half open with a small grin on her face, he could feel her breath on his face she was so close.

"I guess if they had then I would never have found you" she closed her eyes and pushed her lips into his. Gob froze eyes wide open. _What. The. Fuck._

But she didn't pull back straight away like he'd expected, instead she pecked him again, almost begging for him to do the same. Which in fairness she was, she didn't want to look like an idiot. Gob pushed down the bloatflies in his belly and tested it by kissing her back as softly as he could with his tough lips.

As soon as he did he felt her smile against him. _Is this even real?_ She pulled away, _Here it comes, the slap_, and looked up at him cheeks flushed and with a bitten lip. _Oh God_.

He felt himself getting hotter already. _This is happening, this is really happening, isn't it? Oh god what if it isn't, GOB! DON'T wake up!_ She pulled him into her face again with a hand on his cheek and kissed him again, harder. She parted his lips with hers and he felt her tongue graze his bottom lip. Gob moaned and he didn't even care, besides it made her cling to him even more. He let her open his mouth and get her tongue inside and in turn did the same to hers, it was sloppy and he knew it but he was finding it hard to remember what to do. His mind was so hazy now anyway but he could feel her toes curling in-between his feet.

He dug his fingertips hard into her waist and she let out a moan into his mouth. _Fuck_. He sighed her name in-between wet kisses and she laughed, not at him directly but just out of happiness and he could tell by how it sounded. _I love you so much_.

Gob would be happy doing this all night, infact he'd planned to in his head already. Every now and then they'd stop and smile but it was when they'd stare into each other's eyes that had Gob's heat stopping the most.

"Hmm Gobbie" Roxie smiled sleepily.

"You're so perfect kid" Gob felt like crying, _I've never been so happy_.

Under all the nerves and confusion Gob was glad he'd managed to reason with himself and just accept that tonight had actually happened so he could enjoy it. She was something else and he'd never compare her to the other smoothskins in this town again, she was to special now, now that she'd do this with him. They kept innocently kissing all night until the kisses dwindled to faint pecks and they both drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

(Been having trouble with the uploader and my pc is pretty broken so sorry for any mistakes.)

* * *

><p>"Morning gorgeous" Roxie said cheerily, she'd already crept out of bed to get herself washed and ready whilst Gob slept. She watched him slowly creek one eye open and strain to find her standing over him.<p>

"Mnnnggg" Gob groaned. _She's still here_the thought made him almost want to squeal like a girl and he pushed his face into the pillow to hide his massive grin – disguising it as anguish for waking up.

"Fine how do you do" Roxie rolled her eyes. "C'mon it's time to set up"

"Okay" Gob lifted his head up, rolled out of his face down position and heaved himself out of bed. He stood infront of her not sure what to do until she wrapped her arms round his waist and he enveloped her in his arms, resting his chin on top of her head.

"How's your eye?" she whispered into his neck, tickling the exposed veins there.

"Better" he swallowed. She looked up at him and smiled weakly, confidence fading now it was morning. Before she could give herself any more time to hesitate she rocked onto her tiptoes and kissed him, to let him know last night wasn't a one off if anything. He trailed his fingers through her hair as the kiss deepened.

"The fuck?"

They both stopped and turned to the open doorway, there stood Nova cigarette lit, hand on her hip and an eyebrow raised. Gob removed his hands instantly and put one to the back of his head as if he'd committed some kind of petty crime, Roxie on the other hand just laughed and headed to the stairs with a spring in her step. Nova walked over to Gob who stood awkwardly in the middle of his room.

"What was that huh?" she asked him eyes wide and keen, like the gossip she'd always been.

"I uhh, I don't- I think…" He stuttered. "Please don't say anything" he managed to sigh out hopelessly.

Nova patted his shoulder in one of her rare gestures of kindness, "I won't, hell one of us deserves to be happy" she smiled and turned to walk out the door, "You old dog" she laughed to herself.

Gob stood in his room grinning for a minute allowing himself to bask in the warm feeling he had, the feeling of the world being a brighter place – or perhaps the place it used to be. He thought about how his 'mother' Carol always told him how the nice guy always got the girl in the end and how he'd thought it was a load of rubbish – but here he was smitten with the new smoothskin and to make things better she wouldn't even look twice and at the 'bad guy' Jericho. _Man how I'd love to tell that sorry bastard_.

* * *

><p>Gob swirled the cloth around the clean (as of Roxie's job last night) bar, shamelessly staring as Roxie bent over fiddling with the wires on her speaker contraption. He watched the curve of her back and her perk behind bop around as she swore quietly and there was no doubt in his mind that a few of the other men in the bar were too. He felt his blood boil a little at the thought of anyone else looking at her like he did but he was able to calm himself with the knowledge that she had kissed him last night and this morning – which was more than they'd ever get.<p>

"Zombie, stuff your tongue back in your head and get me another beer" barked Jericho. Gob scowled and did what he was told, took the caps from the washed up raider and stuffed them in the battered till, and then let his eyes float back to Roxie. _How long till this shift is over_.

"Gob!" Roxie called as she stood up and turned to face him, "The power's out".

"Really?" what was he supposed to say, he wasn't much of an electrician now or before the bombs. Gob had a fair few jobs before the war never really a proper career though, he wasn't sure what he wanted in life and he was still just as undecided now – except he knew Roxie was a definite. "Uhm, what about that guitar kid?"

"Oh yeah, I guess I could play it…" she mumbled and started to pull the guitar out the case. Roxie didn't know many songs on the guitar – to tell the truth she only really took it with he because it was her dad's and it meant a lot to him.

"I don't get why she even talks to you, broads like that are good for one thing only" Jericho eyed the bar man. "She should be fucking real men – not chatting to corpses." He sneered after a long swig of his beer.

Gob slammed his fist on the table. "You shut up about her" he said slowly.

"Or what shuffler?" Jericho put his hands on the bar and did his best to tower over Gob who was immediately regretting his outburst. Maybe not because of Jericho but because of what Moriarty would do.

"What makes you think you can talk about women like that" Gob dribbled out, kicking himself for how stupid he sounded. _You're a little boy Gob, that's all you'll ever fucking be, a really fucking old little boy_.

Jericho roared with laughter and a few of the other men drinking did to. "What time do you think we're livin' in rot bag? There aint no ladies and gents no more – just guys and holes" Jericho seemed to beaming with more confidence, especially seeing as he had his mid-day drunks laughing in support.

"No there men and then there's scum like you" the bar went quiet as Roxie spoke from over her guitar, sat on a bar stool in her corner. "Gob is a real man."

"HA! Scum like me? Look at him Rox huh?" Jericho waved a hand towards Gob. "The '_man_' hasn't even got a face – he's ugly as fuck"

"Listen to yourself; you're the one who's really ugly." Jericho swaggered towards her and she stood immediately. As he got closer she could feel herself bracing, maybe she'd gone too far this time. Gob instinctively swung over the bar. _Shit shit shit, don't hit her_.

Jericho raised a hand to her but was distracted by the door swinging open, they all were. Moriarty stood in the doorway.

"The fuck you think yer doin lad?" he said to Jericho who lowered his arm. Roxie let out a slow breath as did Gob.

"You need to give that zombie a slap" he wrenched the guitar from Roxie and leered into her shocked face "and keep this **dog **on a leash" and with that he slung the neck of the guitar over his knee and snapped it. Roxie choked as he broke the instrument. Jericho, having got the desired affect grinned a shit-eating grin to himself when he handed the limp guitar back to her and walked out the door.

"Here, you'll be paying fer that!" Moriarty shouted out the door to him.  
>Gob walked over to Roxie to put a hand on her shoulder, he could see she was near tears but wasn't going to let the other assholes in the bar think that moron had won.<p>

"Anyway, all of you out – big sandstorm on its way, aint safe at the top of the crater so unfortunately I have to ask you all to leave" Moriarty bellowed, it was unfortunate for him he was missing out on half a days' worth of caps.  
>The bar as soon emptied with a few groans and when the last patron walked out Gob hugged his girl.<p>

"Hey" he whispered "I bet Winthrop could fix it, you know… when we get out of here" he pulled back and gave her the most reassuring smile he could considering the muscles in his face weren't what they used to be. _We can still dream, right?_

"What do you two think yer doin, you'll make me lose me breakfast girly get away from the lad" Moriarty moaned, shaking his head as he walked towards his dingy back room no doubt to tap on his terminal for a good few hours. Roxie just rolled her eyes at Gob.

"Guess we'll have to get used to this huh?" she joked.  
>Although Gob smiled, he knew it was true and it was going to be tough if she was serious about him. Gob had dealt with people hating him for no reason the vast majority of his life, but Roxie hadn't. She'd only seen hate directed towards ghouls like Gob and her father, never once being on the receiving end and people were bound to talk. Nobody touched ghouls, it was just an unwritten wasteland rule.<p>

"Half day huh love birds, bet you've got plenty to do to pass the time…" Nova cooed as she peeled herself from her spot at the wall.

"Shh he'll hear you" Gob stressed.

"Oh you embarrassed of me huh?" Roxie teased.

"Pretty much" Gob shrugged his shoulders.

"Dick" Roxie punched him playfully in the shoulder.

"This sappiness is way more than I signed up for, d'you mind?" Nova slung her hip to her hand.

"Hmm well why don't you two girls run along, I've got a slum to clean up" Gob took the broken guitar off of Roxie with care and started packing her stuff away.

"Oh boy really Gobbie? Oh Nova what shall we play first" she moved to link arms with the prostitute.

"How about make overs, or truth or dare" Nova mocked.

"You two think you're so funny" Gob grumbled, fighting back his own smile.

"Because we are" Roxie grinned.

"You wouldn't have us any other way, right Hun?" Nova smiled.

"I guess not" It was a nice change for Nova to be so pleasant. As they both walked up the stairs together Gob put it down to the fact that with another woman to distract attention away from Nova she had felt safer. Though initially she had been a bit defensive about 'competition' she was a bit more relaxed now that Roxie seemed to get the brunt of the male attacks.

* * *

><p>"You know you have really nice eyes Nova" Roxie said as the brushed her lids with some pre-war powder.<p>

"If bags and bruises are your thing kid then yeah I'm a stunner" Nova tapped the ash off her cigarette out in the ash tray between them. Although it had started as a joke, there really was nothing left to do with this storm brewing, so there they sat on Gob's bed (far less stains than Nova's), crossed legged putting on clumpy pre-war make up. "But then again you're all about the gore look aren't you, or should I say ghoul?" she took another drag.

"I wondered how long till you'd bring that up" Roxie groaned.

"I may come off as a bit of a bitch-"

"_**May**_" Roxie smiled.

"Yes may, but Gob is my friend you know and if well you know?" Nova stumbled, it was rare she showed attachment to anything but jet.

"If I hurt him you'll kill me, or some kind of similar cliché?" Roxie smiled at her knowingly.

"Yeah something like that" Nova smiled as she smoked casually only a small dent in her cold bitch persona.

"Don't worry I won't" Roxie said reassuringly.

"So then is it serious or just a fuck" Nova said looking up as Roxie coated her lashes.

"Oh how forward" Roxie laughed quietly. "No we haven't done anything yet, Jesus Christ Nova you make me feel like I'm 15 again"

"Just think how old he feels next to you then ha!" Nova jabbed.

"Hey that's not fair ha-ha" Roxie smiled and started looking for a mirror.

"Do you even think he can get it up still? Good luck Hun" Nova roared and to that Roxie couldn't help but giggle.

"I hope he can" she said with a wide grin spreading on her face, she handed Nova a mirror shard.

"Ahem." Someone gravelly cleared their throat. Who else but Gob.

"Shit, how long you been there?" Nova half turned looking in the small mirror, her laughter dying out slowly though not completely gone. Roxie on the other hand was more than a little mortified.

"Oh not long, I was having trouble _getting up_ the stairs" Gob crossed his arms and leaned on the door frame with an eyebrow raised.  
>Nova smiled at her reflection then nodded towards Roxie, "Guess that's my queue huh? Thanks Hun" Nova stood and sauntered towards the door, to be stopped by Gob.<p>

"You look pretty Nova" Gob said to her off-hand.

"Don't I always" It was less thick with sarcasm than usual and Nova smiled as she put her hand to her blushing face to walk to her room. It was nice to feel pretty for once after years of being a piece of meat in the seedy old town, Nova was feeling less down today and though she hated to admit it, it was because she'd made a new friend.

Gob still stood in the door way looking at Roxie, it was kind of interesting to watch her squirm – after all she'd made him feel this awkward for months.

"Oh come on" she plucked up weakly, "It was kinda funny…"

"Save it kid, I guess you're just a bigot like the rest of them" Gob walked over to the bed and flopped down on it very over dramatically. It let out a creak as he lay down. Roxie loomed over him.

"Yeah Gob let me go get my steak to ram in your heart… or was that vampires?" she held a finger to her lips and put on her best pouty dumb face.

"C'mere you big idiot" Gob pulled her down for a kiss.

"Big idiot, good one" Roxie mumbled between kisses.

"Shh."

* * *

><p>Moriarty had been swearing, hitting and pleading with his terminal for a good hour. Despite how cunning and manipulating the bastard was – he wasn't too bright in all other senses of the word. A prime example would be how despite knowing the power was out, he was continuing to try and use his computer.<p>

"This fucking thing, never given me jip before" he slapped the box frame of it. He took another swig from his fourth bottle of whiskey. It wasn't from the piss-water stash he saved for the Stahls or his other 'favourite' customers but it was as old as the bomb outside and pretty diluted. But after four bottles of the stuff you'd be hard pushed to find a super mutant that wouldn't be blushing.

He stared at its blank dark screen a little longer thinking about the work he needed to do. He had recently set up a liaison with other DC bartenders – most notably a Mr. Azrukhal. You see, bartenders are the new messiahs in the wasteland, they've got what everyone needs – booze and lots of it. Well of course a couple of bottles can cause some very interesting loose lips and bad news that these men of the underworld thrive on. Moriarty and Azrukhal have for quite some time now conversed about those in their employ and for some reason this Azrukhal has recently taken an interest in purchasing Roxie from the Irishman.

Tonight he was meant to be working on a deal and Azrukhal would send the muscle over the next day. Moriarty cursed at the thought of lost caps as he leered at the terminal.

"Who the fuck can fix this piece of shit topside? Who the fuck do I even trust with it…?" Moriarty grumbled out drunken ramblings as he leaned back in his creaky chair.

* * *

><p>It was getting too hot for Gob despite the fact they were both now down to their underwear. He was giving as good as he got in this heated make out session but there was always the constant paranoia that something between his legs was going to detonate prematurely. <em>Please for the love of God<em>. He almost felt relief as she pulled herself from his body and the rush of cool air hit him. Only for it to be intensified shortly after.

She slung a leg over Gob, pinning him to the bed hands either side of him. She rocked back and gave him a full view of her body not to mention the way she lightly grinded against him. It was like kind of beautiful hell for him._ There is no doubt she doesn't feel that, Jesus Christ what about when she sees it – or will she even want to? Fuck not even I want to…_As she looked down at him she noted his confidence was now quite obviously fading.

"What's up" she sighed as she leant down and placed kisses on his neck.

"Nothin' just… you know, been a while?" Gob cringed as the words fell out of his mouth.

"I'm not exactly doing this everyday either you know" she grinned into the exposed veins in his neck.

"I suppose not" he exhaled trying to steady his breath.

"Do you want to do this?" she lifted her head to look at him warmly.

"Of course I fucking do" he laughed.

"Then suck it up buddy" she goaded him.

"Yes mam" he saluted and rolled her over so she was underneath him. They laughed awkwardly for a while and then she stared up into his milky eyes with a weak smile plastered on her face. _This is it_.

* * *

><p>"That fucking girl is more trouble than she's worth" Moriarty and thrown the last bottle on the floor as he swaggered out of his little booth and leant on his bar for support.<p>

It was then that he spotted her guitar case and amplifier.

"She's always tamperin with that thing, she'll be able to fix that piece of shite" he grumbled and headed towards the stairs.

* * *

><p>She had run her hands all down his chest which sent shivers down his spine and was evidently enough to make Gob through all caution to the wind and be a bit braver. She didn't care about how he looked, why should he?<p>

He grabbed her hips and pulled them towards his more, listing her slightly off the mattress, it was then he started grinding against her at an agonizingly slow pace. The look on her face priceless, her mouth hung open and her cheeks flushed, it was all he could have asked for.

She was getting pretty wet just from this and she knew Gob could tell, it was getting to the point she was finding it hard to feel the underwear between them. As she tried to compose herself she looked up at Gob who wore a devilishly wicked grin on his face – to see him go from shy and beaten to so dominant was definitely a big turn on.

She started fighting his slow pace with her growing need for more friction. _If you keep this up kid, its gunna be a very short chapter_. He needed to stop her. Moving his hand from her waist he placed it on her cheek. He then tilted her head to expose her neck and gave it a deep kiss then a slow lick. Her fingers gripped his shoulders.

"Mmmn Gob"

"Fuck" he growled into her neck.

She dragged her hips away from him so that she could now move her had between them. She began to pull at his tattered boxers. _Oh shit_. Gob closed his eyes shut. _Please, please, please be okay_.

All he heard was her moan at the sight of him exposed. He opened one eye to see her looking down between their bodies with her lip bitten as she clasped a hand around him. To her surprise he hadn't been as bad there as she thought – but then she didn't really know what she was expecting.

"Oh Rox" he managed to get out before he kissed her forehead.  
>He was scarred and it was rougher than it should be but to her relief there weren't parts of his member missing she shook the idea out of her head. She started to mold him back and forth and his hips pushed along with her as if clockwork.<p>

She couldn't help but let out little moans as she watched the look of pleasure creep into his face and soon she felt herself getting louder not only to encourage him.

"You. Have to. Be, be quiet" he huffed out a lopsided grin on his lips. _This is too good_.

"So do you" she moaned into his neck planting more sloppy kisses there.

* * *

><p>The drunk bartender was having trouble staying upright as he clambered up the stairs, clinging to the walls as he did so. But if thought he was having a hard time staying on his feet now he was already screwed when he opened the door to his little songbird's room.<p>

"What in the hell?" he whispered, louder than any sober person would.  
>It took a very short moment to register what was actually happening when he saw Gob almost butt-naked looming over the singer, her legs splayed haphazardly and her toes curling. He saw what must have been her arm stop pumping and the two bodies froze.<p>

The girl was jerking off the zombie.

The fucking zombie.

_Sick_.


	7. Chapter 7

Attempted rape and violence in this one kiddies, you've been warned. Also it's the last in the series - but a new one is comming shortly, just thought it was fitting to end it here before their new adventure :).

Thanks for the reviews guys, means a lot :D

* * *

><p>"What the FUCK do you think yer doing?" Moriarty growled at them.<br>_Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck._

Before Gob's brain was even able to comprehend exactly what had happened he was tucked back in his underwear and being forcibly ripped off the girl beneath him. He hit the floor with a thud. As he clutched his side, which was now throbbing with pain, and sat up he looked up to see a very maniacal Moriarty grabbing Roxie by the arm. The man was mad, the vein on his neck was huge and his face was bright red – although judging by the smell that could have been the alcohol.

"I said what the fuck are you doing?" he said his face uncomfortably pushed in hers.

Roxie could smell the stale whiskey and general bad breath odour pouring out of his mouth like a wet fog.

She couldn't say anything, what was there to say?

"Get up" he barked.

"What no, get off me" she protested.

With a painful turn off his wrist he twisted her arm and yanked her off the bed. "I **said **get up!"

"Ow!" she yelled, much more scared now than she'd like to admit. Roxie looked down at Gob, he was still in shock watching hopelessly, "Gob help".  
>Gob opened his mouth only to be stopped by Moriarty delivering a sharp kick to his ribs. Gob doubled over. "Don't you fucking dare zombie, I'll be back for you later!"<p>

"What are you doing?" Roxie squealed as Moriarty began to drag her out the room.

"I'm going fix you" he grumbled.

"No wait, what, no please" she pleaded as they reached the stairs. Gob watched lifelessly almost from the floor, his face sticking to the metal of it with loose tears that had leaked out unintentionally.

Roxie was scuffing her feet trying to slow down the drunk, violent man that held her by the arm in a vice like grip. It was probably bruising she thought but deep down knowing that this was nowhere near the worst of it – seeing as they were heading to Moriarty's room. _What does fix you mean? Please don't let it be what I think it means._

The wind from the sand storm was screaming through the cracks of the bar, and the sand scratched at the walls like a prisoner in a cell when he threw her in the room. He locked the door behind them.

Back upstairs Gob fought with himself and the pain in his ribs. _She needs you to help her, she asked you Gob, what are you doing?_He heaved himself up, a hand still gripped to his side. Something wasn't right there, a rib was cracked probably but Gob couldn't be sure having little medical knowledge. He dragged himself to his feet using his free arm and the bed to heave his weight.

He looked towards the doorframe to see Nova tip-toeing out to him.

"What the fuck was that about" she whispered as she came to him, instinctively putting her hands on him, the most contact shed graced him with ever.

"He walked in on" Gob tried to push his words out but there was something wrong with his mouth, the taste of it. Like metal.  
>Nova's eyes widened. "You're bleeding" she nodded and locked her eyes on his mouth. He brushed his mouth on his hand and sure enough he'd coughed up some blood.<p>

"Where is she?" Nova didn't need to ask what Moriarty might have walked in on, from the state of Gob's undress it was evident it was something sexual and this was not the time to be nosey. Judging by the fact she was missing – and from experience herself it was pretty obvious what slimey bastard was going to do. Moriarty didn't like it when you turned him down full stop, but to turn him down and then go for the locals' verbal chew toy was almost asking for it.

"He's taken her downstairs" he flinched as he eyed up the door. Do you have the key to that room?" he looked down at her and sure enough she pulled they key on a string out of her pocket. She was still dumbstruck as she handed it to him. He stumbled away from her and made a b-line for the doorway.

"What are you doing?" she hissed as he stumbled past her.  
>"I'm going to get her" he said with raw determination on his voice and a stern focus on the stairs.<p>

"Gob he'll kill you, why are you doing this?"  
>He looked over his shoulder, almost accepting his fate as he looked at her if to give, for all he knew, a final goodbye. "She's worth it" he smiled weakly.<p>

* * *

><p>The room with the terminal was musty, like old sweat and wastleland dust. Everything was very close, including Moriarty. He was sinister looking. Sure he was an old bastard but naively Roxie never thought he'd do this.<p>

He had her pinned to the wall. There was no use fighting it, she'd only get hurt more – which she learnt from her previous struggle, the proof a busted lip. Moriarty rested his head on the wall behind her and breathed into her exposed ear. His breathe made the hairs on her neck stand on end and her body flinch all over.

"I'm going to make you appreciate a real man" he sighed and she felt a hand move between them, then the definite sound of a zip. A zipper that sounded like it was ripping everything, ripping the room, ripping the air, ripping her.

Roxie couldn't help but let out a sob. A disgusting kiss was then dribbled on her neck. She clenched her eyes shut.

_One day I'll fly away..._

_...Leave all this to yesterday._

* * *

><p>Gob had managed to get down the stairs to a silent bar. The silence itself was unnerving and Gob found himself wondering if hearing her at least scream would be better. He couldn't bare the thought of her just accepting it. However as he got closer he heard quiet and pathetic 'pleases' begging a gruffer voice telling her to shut up. That was it.<p>

That was enough.

Gob removed the scabbed arm supporting his chest, he didn't need it there now the adrenaline was doing a better job of holding him together. His eyes scoured the bar. _Nothing. The shelf?__  
><em>_Book__  
><em>_Pitcher__  
><em>_Cups__  
><em>_For fucks sake!__  
><em>_…Pipe? _He picked it up and felt the weight of it._Lead pipe._  
>Gripping it as tightly as he could in his warm palms he turned and made for the door sticking the key in like there was no tomorrow.<p>

Roxie could feel Moriarty now tugging at her flimsy underwear. She felt dirty. Filthy. And now pathetic knowing all she could do was weep and wait till this is over. The underwear slipped off of one hip bone but then nothing. A click. A Clunk. A thud. Roxie peeled open her eyes cautiously. Gob was on the floor hunching over a passed out Moriarty. His teeth were bared and his eyes were wide.

"Did he touch you" he snapped.

"I uh" Roxie croaked.

Gob lifted his arm and then slammed the pipe down to Moriarty's skull again.

"Did he?" Gob shouted, he caught a glimpse of the irish man's undone pants and lost all resolve again. Another hit and blood spurted from the wounds on the mashed head. Gob was feeling feral almost, he felt the insatiable need to keep going, till Moriarty was deader than dead, to get rid of him till there was nothing left, eat him just to get rid of the evidence. _Fuck him up._

"Stop it!" Roxie cried, obviously distressed. She pulled herself off the wall as Gob stood, snapped out of his daze by her. He pulled her over the body and into his arms, her face buried in his chest.

"I'm sorry, I wont lose it again I promise" he whispered into her hair, "You're safe now", he could feel his arms shaking and he fought the urge to cry. There was too many emotions. Too many to understand.

Roxie openly cried now. Her sweet Gob now killer, her 'boss' motionless on the floor and her skin bare in the cold bar it almost felt as though the world was falling down. But he had come back for her. He had saved her. The pang of fear dulled as she realised the man holding her now had literally risked his life to save her any trauma, he was still the same Gob – putting himself in harm's way to help others. Adoration welled in her chest now.

"What are we going to do" she sniffed as she looked up at him.

"We're going to get out of here" Gob looked at her, wiping the blood splatters from his face with his arm.

When Nova had come downstairs moments later she found Gob and Roxie raiding the till and the rest of the bar, pushing supplies in the guitar case in the middle of the room.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked quietly, despite the obvious nature of her question she still needed an answer.

"Leaving" Gob looked up at her from the till, a bag full of caps in the other hand.

"What about-"

"He's dead"

"Oh"

Roxie silently drifted the chair near her little makeshift stage, she was all packed away again. Even though it was slavery the bar had felt like it could have been a home with Gob and Nova with her. A home with a slightly dysfunctional family, complete with the creepy uncle, she shuddered at the thought of the white-haired man. Nova walked over to her.

"Oh chick, you're so pale, come on let's get you dressed" she held out a hand sympathetically and she took it. Gob watched as the two women trailed up the stairs, Roxie under the wing of mother hen Nova.

_Poor girl doesn't deserve any of this, it's all because she's with you, this is just the start._

Nova had to dress the girl herself pretty much as Roxie was weak and staring into space a lot, trying to figure out what was exactly happening tonight. She'd made a point of changing her underwear, not wanting to be anywhere near that tainted pair. Even though Moriarty hadn't got the chance they still felt dirty.  
>"Hey, c'mon – you're getting out of here" Nova rubbed Roxie's cheek. "how long have we all wanted that huh?"<p>

"Where will we go?" Roxie mumbled quietly.

"I think Gob knows, he's had a 'what if?' plan for years now" she smiled, it was infectious despite how sad the statement was.

"Will you come with us Nova?"

"I'd love to hun but-"

"Please don't say but" Roxie felt her face tweak again, she'd been crying like a child tonight.

"However, you two need an alibi. It wont be any good leaving with half of Megaton following shortly after holding pitchforks and torches, don't worry I'll think of something" she patted Roxie on the shoulder, "C'mon, Gob's waiting and you need to use this sandstorm for cover while it lasts".

"I'll be down in a minute"

Nova nodded and left the girl in her room. Roxie looked at all the familiar cracks in the wall for the last time and decided now was a good a time as any to leave. She slumped on the bed for one last time thinking of the first kiss Gob and her shared there.

Downstairs Nova comforted Gob, who had found the clothes he left underworld with in a crate behind the bar. A merc adventurer outfit, the irony of it was thick and tasteless but here he was about to start another adventure – a lot wiser than the last time. He began to look at the bar for one last time. _Fifteen years, fifteen long fucking years_.

"He didn't do anything she said, he didn't get the chance" Nova reassured him.

"He would have done" Gob flinched again, the pain now returning in his side.

"You need a stimpak" Nova rooted around in the terminal room for a short while. Gob new there were decent supplies there but he couldn't bring himself to look at the body. None of them gave it the respect to cover it up. It was an it, not a him.

Nova emerged from behind the door, spitting on the now cold corpse as she did so. A lunch box in one hand, a pistol in the other, she handed them to Gob.

"You'll need these" she opened the lunchbox and pulled out one of a handful of stimpaks that was hidden under some ammo. It was sad to say but Nova was a pro with any meds and she injected Gob precisely where he needed it. "Give it a while"

Gob held her arms loosely when she tried to pull away. "I'm going to miss you Nova" he said sincerely.

"Don't be stupid, I've always given you hell" Nova tried to avert the goodbye – but it was imminent.

"Who hasn't?" he chuckled and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I'm going to miss you too" Nova said quietly into his shoulder. _So much._

Roxie left a box of make up for Nova in her room, along with one of her nicer dresses, she deserved it., then made her way down the stairs to see Gob and Nova in a tight hug. _I don't want to leave._

"Where are we going Gob?" Roxie croaked not really wanting to break the moment.

Gob let go of Nova and looked up to see Roxie on the last step. "Silver's, she doesn't live far and it will be a straight path from here in the storm – then we'll make our way to underworld." Gob smiled a little at the prospect of surprising his mother.

"So this is it then?" Roxie stirred uncomfortably.

"Yeah kid" Gob heaved her case over his shoulder, now that the guitar was broken it was easy to fit the rest of their stuff inside with it – after all they didn't have much.

Roxie ran to Nova and hugged her tightly, "Thank you so much for everything and, and goodbye!" she said through fought back tears.

"Don't say goodbye kid, I'll see you soon – you'll come back and visit" Nova patted her back.

Roxie nodded, they both knew it might not be true because this was the wastes they were stepping into – no one knew how long they'd last.  
>Nova let her go and Roxie took Gob's hand as they stood at the doorway.<p>

"Are you ready?" Gob asked, more to himself than her really.

"Yeah." She nodded and squeezed his hand. "Let's go home".


End file.
